Category: Characters

When it comes to the Arthurian myths, there are hardly more important figures in the life of King Arthur than his own father, Uther Pendragon. He was one of the most legendary kings of the Roman-Britain kingdom and his legacy goes all the way back to very classic and old Welsh poems, cementing his place…

Vortigern, called “Gurthigern” by monk Gildas, was a 5th century ruler known for inviting the Saxons to Britain in order to stop the Picts and Scots from their incursions and allowing them to control the land. Vortigern is not a name per se; it means “Supreme Lord”. His actual name is unknown as are many…

Morgause (also known as Mogawse) is a lesser known character in Arthurian lore, but one of particular importance in many versions. The Literary History of Morgause In the 11th century, Morgause was known only as Orcades which is linked to the Latin name for the Orkney Islands. This is where Gawain, one of Mogause’s sons,…

Igraine is the mother of Arthur, formerly Duchess of Tintagel and later the Queen of England. According to the Welsh tradition, her name was Eigyr or Eigr. She’s the daughter of a prince. She also has a son named Gormant and seven brothers and two sisters. In the English tradition she had three husbands before…

The central figure of interest in this period of history is the man known as Arthur. He was the mighty military leader who led the kings of Britain into battle against the Saxons as they tried to progressively conquer more and more of the island. While not described as such in the earliest records, he…

The story of Tom Thumb is one of the first recorded English Tales. He has been a popular character in the English myths and legends for centuries. His story was originally printed in 1621 by Richard Johnson. Tom Thumb’s Birth Back in days of King Arthur’s reign, Old Thomas and his wife had desires to…

Pelinore or King Pelinore is the King of Listenoise also known as Northumberland. He is said to be of the royal bloodline of St Joseph of Arimathea, the dynasty that protected the Holy Grail based on the Arthurian lore. He is directly the son of King Pellam and the brother of King Pelleas and Allain…

Morgan Le Fay has been portrayed in various styles and forms throughout history. Her character has been proposed to be good or evil, depending on the century and author that is followed. The fact she is seen as the hero and villain makes her an intriguing character. Jen PrettyJen Pretty lives in the great white…

The first king of the kingdom of Wessex, and certainly one of the most interesting of its kings, was a man known as Cerdic. A considerable amount of speculation has been made concerning who this man really was, where he came from, and how he may relate to the Arthurian legends. Caleb HowellsCaleb Howells is…

Sir Agravain is the second and most unpleasing son of King Lot of Orkney and Queen Morgause. Queen Morgause ( Anna ) is the sister to King Arthur, thus making Sir Agravain King Arthur’s nephew, brother to Sir Gawain, Gaheris, and Mordred as his half-brother. He was knighted in King Arthur’s court because of his…

About the Author

Jason is the editor-in-chief of ArthurLegends.com and the primary author of the Arthurian Shared Universe. He has a deep love of British history and mythology, especially relating to Celtic and Arthurian traditions (obviously). He spends most of his days in made-up worlds.